Ask James Webb, president of the St. Louis Minority Business Council his view on the importance of Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) for the region, and you’ll get a succinct answer every time: “MBEs are an important part of the total economic development picture and tend to hire minorities. They are vital to the region.”
There are more than one million African American-owned businesses in the United States, which account for over $100 billion in annual sales. African Americans are 50 percent more likely than whites to start their own businesses, and 86 percent of African-American teens polled by Junior Achievement expressed interest in starting a business.
African-American women are making great strides in entrepreneurship. Two in five of all African American-owned firms are owned by women. These firms employ 31.5 percent of the workers in African American-owned firms and generate 20.4 percent of the sales.
In St. Louis, entrepreneurship in the African-American community is alive and well.
For the ninth consecutive year, the St. Louis American Foundation, St. Louis RCGA, and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis will honor the area’s Top 25 African-American Businesses. The businesses will be cited at the Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon Thursday, November 13 at Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark.
This year’s Top 25 African-American Businesses are:
* Ability Building & Restoration
* ABNA Engineering
* AfroWorld International
* AFRAM Corp.
* Andy’s Seasoning
* Banks and Associates
* BRK Electrical Contractors
* Brown Kortkamp
* Capital International Communications
* David Mason & Associates
* FUSE
* Interface Construction
* KAI Design & Build
* Kwame Building Group
* Legacy Building Group
* Mary One Johnson Home Team Realty
* Mind Safety Management
* Professional Environmental Engineers
* The Roberts Companies
* Sharks & Sharks General Contractors
* T.A.B. Co., Inc.
* TSi Engineering
* World Wide Technology.
The 9th Annual Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon is presented by the St. Louis American Foundation, the RCGA and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. This year’s theme is “Getting Connected.” Tickets are $75 each or a table of 10 for $750 for General Seating, and $100 each or a table of 10 for $1,000 for VIP/Preferred Seating. For tickets and information, call 314-533-8000. Tickets can also be purchased online at stlamerican.com.